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Coffee and incontinence

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Posted 9/23/2007 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Still struggling here, trying to get from 1 pad to 0, and I am considering eliminating coffee for a period of time to see if that has an effect. I currently drink around 4 cups a day, sometimes more. I considered dropping coffee before, but my urologist told me I should be able to get to zero pads without eliminating coffee from my diet.

Question #1: How quickly has eliminating coffee worked for anyone out there?

Question #2: Is decaf coffee (*bleah*) just as bad for continence as regular coffee?
Posted 9/23/2007 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
I waited until three months post surgery before I went back to drinking coffee. I sure did miss my morning cup, but I didn't want to take a chance on messing up the progress I had made up to that point. I found that it had no effect on my continence at all. I usually find that I have to urinate about one hour after finishing a cup, and that's about what it was when I had a prostate. However, I only drink one or two cups a day.
Posted 9/23/2007 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi StricklyInc. While in the hospital and walking around the ward I could smell fresh coffee. That night when my Dr. came by I told him I know coffee is not on the table yet, but I sure would like to have a cup. He told me if if made me feel better go ahead. The nurse heard this and said I'll make you a fresh pot and she brought myself and my wife a fresh cup. After that I have had coffee and have not noticed any more incontinence than normal. I like hot coffee and usually pour half the cup pot when it gets cold. I tried to limit my intake of it at first but noticed it did not make any difference to my dribbling. It just takes time and Kegels. Hope this helps. Luck to you on your recovery.

Mika
Posted 9/24/2007 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Strickly,

I experimented with coffee not drinking any for a week and then going back to my two of three cups a day. I found that it did not make any difference to my leakage at the time.

Tamu
Posted 9/24/2007 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
Before surgery I was drinking approx. 4 cups a day and I make strong coffee. After my surgery I didn't drink any for approx. 2-3 weeks, but I did have a coke now and then. Now that I started back to work I'm drinking a weaker (which might be normal strength) coffee and only 1-2 cups a day. I did watch my intake so not to mess up my continence progress which I threw the pads out at week 6. 
Posted 9/24/2007 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, StrictlyInc
I just got back from a ten day coach tour and drank coffee each morning. I also would drink coffee with each mill. I did wear a small pad each day for protection and there were a couple of times it was necessary to catch the dribble. The coach only stopped every 2 to 3 hours so the pad was necessary for peace of mind. My problem was after sitting for a few hours when I would get up it seemed there was movement of water through the pipe, but there was nothing coming out. I am 6 weeks past surgery. I hope you will continue to improve. Coffe as far as I can tell has not affected my condition. God Bless, Uncle Dan
Posted 9/24/2007 11:41 PM (GMT 0)

Strictly,

After 8-9 weks, I had my major dry up...  5-6 pads to barely wet pad onve a day.  I had drank coffee the whole time (1-3 cups a day) and did not notice any differences on incontinance....  Only when I had to urinate.

I was cruising along on the one pad a day (barely wet) and was thinking the last drops would dry up in a week or so...  Didn't worry about it.  Also didn't dry up completely.  At my 3 month PSA test, doctor suggested I just quit wearing pads and see what happens...  I did not really listen to him and continued using one pad a day.  Well, just recently I ran out of pads one day, so decided to go w/o.  Lo and behold, I had a completely dry day!   Should have listened to the doctor earlier... 

Anyway, I found myself and kegals "background thinking" about "hollding" due to the lack of the safety net pad. and it worked fine...  Guess I needed the LACK of the security blanket pad to get there...   Maybe our brains/bodies respond better to necessity/discomfort to keep from getting wet than subcontiously lazy and depending on pads...  Anyway, I am now pad free and enjoying it... 

I have noticed that if I drink more than 3 glasses of wine in an hour or two (during a once in awhile "party" mode), I will still occasionally get a squirt or two...  This is only because I feel myself in the slighly impaired and would not drive state...  Probably brain losing communication with kegals and sphincter also loosening up...  As long as I pace myself...  like 1 glass per hour (4-5 oz), things are fine.  This is my normal pacing and I have no continance problems at that pace. 

I have also gotten good at kegals for sneezing, coughing, and laughing and rarely have squirts during those events

And I am still doing daily kegals...

God Bless!

Ray

Posted 9/25/2007 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Strictly,
As a 6-8 cup per day coffee drinker, I can understand your problem. I tried to switch to decaf too, I agree with you - YUCK! It may have been just a coincidence, but I did notice an improvement when I switched from regular to Folger's 1/2 Caff. The taste difference wasn't really noticable, and I haven't had the headaches I was getting from the straight decaf (caffine withdrawl, I assume). I drink less these days, 2-3 cups, and I'm sure consuming less caffine is good for me. I'm down to one slightly wet ultra thin pad per day, headed for complete dryness I hope!
Good Luck,
Mike
BTW, I still drink regular coffee when I go out, with no noticeable increase in leakage.
Posted 9/25/2007 9:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jackcc,

I'm most interested in your comment that arginine helps bulk up the area associated with urine control. I took some of this for a month earlier on after reading that it may be useful for ED. I did not notice any change at all to either my continence or my ED, so I stopped taking it. I will start again however based on your experience.

The tablets I have are these http://www.nicemuscle.com/nitrix-80717.htm. They contain 3000mg of L-Arginine Alpha Keto-Glutarate (AAKG) [whatever all that is]. I note that they are used by body builders.

Are you aware of any studies that link arginine with continence recovery? If it works, it would be a heaven sent solution. Any side effects of the arginine? How long before you noticed the effect on your incontinence?

Berb
Posted 9/26/2007 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Strickly,

My experience is that excessive coffee (more than one cup) and alcohol use (any type) definitely affects continence. I continued to drink 3 or 4 cups a day for about three months after surgery but finally decided to cut back and it made a profound difference in my incontinence. I went from about 5 pads per day to two rather quickly. I am now 5 months out from my robotic surgery and am almost completely continent. I still wear a pad for a safety blanket but rarely have any leakage detectable. I am almost ready to take the depends out of the underwear and go it alone!!! Of course everyone is different, I am sure there are many on this site that say coffee or alcoholic beverages have no consequence on their incontinence but I am not in that group...good luck and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jwb
Posted 9/26/2007 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
I think moderation is the key. I'm 18 weeks post surgery and have one cup of coffee in the morning and since it's still quite warm here in Florida, sometimes an iced coffee in the afternoon. As far as alcohol, I can drink a glass or two of wine in the evening and again, no problems. Sometimes I think I have better control now than I did with an enlarged, cancerous prostate!

Posted 9/27/2007 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
I find that caffeene does make a difference in my leaking. I drink nothing but water at work during the day. Maybe one soda or ice tea in the evening.

Another thing that hit me hard was taking a Diovan for blood pressure. I had been on it before surgery and quit taking it afterward. Work is a little stressfull the last couple of weeks and I could tell my pressure was up a little. I took one Monday night and on Tuesday I leaked like crazy. about 3 or 4 pads more than normal. I guess I will just have to deal with the work stress another way!

Good Luck All,
KW
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